SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 22, 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000086 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM TU SUBJECT: SOUTHEAST TURKEY PRESS SUMMARY FOR JUNE 22, 2007 ¶1. This is the Southeastern Turkey press summary for June 22, ¶2007. Please note that Turkish press reports often contain errors or exaggerations; AmConsulate Adana does not vouch for the accuracy of the reports summarized here. POLITICAL: ¶2. BOLGE / EKSPRES: CHP National Leader Deniz Baykal will come to Adana on July 18, a critical day which is four days ahead of national parliamentary elections, to attend CHP's Adana rally. CHP invited many celebrities to attend the rally in order to draw large public attention in the event. Baykal will hold a rally in Hatay tomorrow (June 23). A CHP Adana delegation paid a visit to the Yumurtalik district to introduce CHP's Adana candidates to the local people. The candidates made a call to people to say no to the U.S.'s Great Middle East Project. CHP provincial chairperson Serdar Seyhan also opened the new CHP party building in the district and CHP candidates paid visits to the local tradesmen. Meanwhile, Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat, first ranking Adana candidate from AKP, and, Necdet Unuvar, third ranking Adana candidate from AKP, paid a visit to the local branch of Ihlas News Agency. Firat said, "Entering other countries' territory is not an easy decision to make. It is very difficult to cross the border into the northern Iraq at this point; however, incursion could take place if need be, but, I cannot tell you right now when that could take place. Because, I do not have sufficient information regarding that issue." Omer Celik, second ranking Adana candidate from AKP and chief adviser to the premier, opened his campaign office in the Kozan district. Separately, the dailies note that DP launched its election campaign on June 11 in Adana and visited many Adana businessmen. Meanwhile, Recai Yildirim, MHP deputy general secretary and Adana candidate from MHP, attended a party meeting in the Sofulu district. ¶3. GUNDEM: The official car of Abdullah Demirbas, Sur District Mayor in Diyarbakir, who was removed from office by the Council of State when he attempted to launch a multi-langauge municipality service, has been taken from him. To protest this development, Demirbas toured the city with his bicycle and inspected some of the municipality worksites. ¶4. GUNDEM: DTP and representatives of seasonal workers will launch efforts together to enable the seasonal workers in the Cukurova region and the Amik Plain, who are currently away from their cities or hometowns where are they are entitled to cast votes, to travel back to these cities a few days before the election day. Meanwhile, the daily continues to give news about campaigns of the independent candidates who have been opening campaign offices in their constituencies in the southeastern provinces. ¶5. GUNDEM: Six different investigations have been started against Goc-Der (Association for Social Solidarity and Culture for Migrants) Chairperson Giyasettin Gultepe on charges of participating in pro-Ocalan press announcements on different dates, and of participating in PKK terrorists' funerals. Gultepe gave his statement to the police authorities because of these charges. ¶6. GUNDEM: The court has released eight people who were detained and arrested for participating in a pro-Ocalan press statement in Adana on March 3. DTP Van Chairperson was detained by the anti-terror branch of the police after he gave a statement to the prosecutor's office. The police have not explained the grounds for his detention. ¶7. GUNDEM: Steve Negus, a reporter of Financial Times newspaper, went to the Mountain Qandil in Iraq, and reported his observations there and made an interview with a PKK executive member called Rustem Cudi. ¶8. GUNDEM: It is reported that military officers were exerting pressure on the family members of Murat Karayilan, the PKK chief, who are currently residing at Birecik district of Sanliurfa. SECURITY ¶9. GUNDEM: The daily claimed that six soldiers were killed (even though the media reported only one had died) in the attack PKK carried out on a military convoy in Gumushane on June 19 (see press summaries for June 20 and 21). ADANA 00000086 002 OF 002 ¶10. GUNDEM: Planes that took off from Diyarbakir's Military Airport surveyed the Gabar Mountain area in Sirnak. The planes that flew low over Sirnak city center caused a bit of tremor in the city, reports the daily. CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ¶11. GUNDEM: The relatives of a 12-year-old girl claimed that the girl committed suicide with a shotgun in Agri's Diyadin district. The police started an investigation into the case. ¶12. BOLGE: As a result of joint efforts of Elazig police and Bingol police, a PKK terrorist, who is a bomb specialist, was caught in Karakocan district of Elazig. The terrorist was recruited by the PKK 9 years ago and reportedly had carried out many bomb attacks to date. ¶13. SABAH (GUNEY) / HURRIYET (CUKUROVA) / BOLGE / EKSPRES: Twenty-two drug dealers and people who purchase such drugs were caught in an anti-drug operation police conducted in Adana. The suspects were arraigned. ECONOMY ¶14. GUNDEM: Mine cleaning studies in the border area with Syria have started and the teams have detected the mines located at Sanliurfa's Akcakale district and around the border area there. The teams started detonating the mines safely and warned the local people not to go out of their houses as the unsafe process was going on. ¶15. BOLGE: EPDK (Energy Market Regulatory Authority) will be holding the tender to award natural gas distribution license in Cukurova region on July 20. The distribution area covers the following provinces and districts: Adana, Mersin, Osmaniye, Iskenderun, Tarsus, Ceyhan, Dortyol, Payas, Kadirli, Belen and a few other districts. GREEN